Silo.



No. 726,649. PATENTED APR. 28, 1903.

W. GRAINE.

' SILO.

.APPHGATION FILED FEB. 17. 1902. no MODEL.

v Z9 Z6 al'l'omwa UNITED STATES PATENT @FFTCLE.

WILLIAM CRAINE, OF BROOKFIELD, NEW YORK.

SILO.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 7 6, dated April 28, 1903- Application filed February 17, 1902. Serial No. 94,506. .(No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM CRAINE, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Brookfield, in the county of Madison and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Silo, of which the followingisa specification.

The present invention relates to storage tanks or receptacles, and particularly to silos; and the broad object thereof is to improve structures of this character.

As is well known to those skilled in this art, when fodder in green condition is cut up and stored in silos the fermentation thereof creates a tremendous outward pressure that requires a powerfully-built structure to withstand. As ordinarily constructed these silos consist of cylindrical side walls made of staves which are held together by strong metallic bands;.but as these bands are spaced considerable distances apart a great deal of the area is unsupported and is more subject to expansion and contraction. Consequentlyv when the silo is empty the bands must needs be tightened to prevent the collapse of the walls due to shrinkage, and when the silo is filled these bands have to be again loosened to prevent bursting by the swelling of the staves. One of the prime objects of 'thejinvention is to provide a structure in which the entire wall of staves is covered by powerful binding means which will Withstand the outward pressure, this binding means being comparatively inexpensive and constituting a covering for an intermediate sheathing of frostproof material. 7

A still further aim is to provide novel-doors which will permit admission to the silo at different points, said doors being so constructed that they will be automatically held in closed position by the contents of the silo.

A still further aim is to improve the struc ture in certain details, so as to preserve the margin of strength about the doorways.

The preferred form of construction is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and fully described in the following specification; but it will be understood that such changes may be made from the embodiment set forth as the scope of the appended claims will permit.

In said drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a silo constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the same. Fig. 3 isa transverse or horizontal sectional view. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the hoop-joints. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view through the same. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view showingthe hoopsections detached.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In carrying out the invention an inner sheathing is provided consisting of upright staves 10, that extend from the bottom to the top of the structure and are preferably provided with tongue-and-groove joints, as 11. About this inner sheathing is wrapped an outer sheathing of hooping 12, that extends transversely of the staves and is preferablyin the form of a single length arranged in overlapping rounds, the adjacent edges of said rounds being also disposed in overlapping relation and rabbeted together. The inner andonter sheathings are connected by suitable fasteners in the shape of nails or similar devices 13, that pass through the overlapping rabbets of the rounds of hooping. This line of hooping is made up of separate strips, which are secured end to end by means of the joints illustratedin Figs. 4, 5, and 6. ends of two sections 12?" are there illustrated, said ends beingprovided with terminal spaced tapering teeth 14, which form between them the sockets 15, arranged to. receive the teeth of the adj acentsection. These teeth are provided contiguous to their bases with openings 16, that aline when the teeth of. the two sections are'placed together, and through said alined openings are passed pins 17. This provides a strong joint which is not liable to split or check, the points of the teeth being located .on the inside, as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Between the inner and outer sheathings is placed a layer of frost and acid proofmaterial, as 18, that will prevent the ingress of cold and the egress of moisture and acid caused by the fermentation. This material may be any desired substance, though preferably paper. It will be observed that it is completely covered by the outer sheathing of hooping andis thus protected from the deleterious influence of the elements. Through the wall is cut a vertical series of doorways 19, that The adjacent are spaced a suitable distance apart, so that several overlapping rounds of the hooping may pass between them. As will be clearly seen by referring to Figs. 2 and 3, these doorways taper both in width and height toward their outer ends. They are closed by doors 20, supported upon hinges 21, secured to the inner sheathing adjacent to the opening, said doors also tapering toward their outer faces, so that they will fit snugly in the doorways. Alongside the doorways are placed vertical studs 22, that extend from the bottom to the top of the side walls and are secured together between the doorways by spaced tie-bolts 23, that constitute steps or rungs by means of which a person may ascend the outer Wall. The doors 20 are locked in closed position by latches 24, that are pivoted to the exterior faces of said doors and engage in sockets 25, formed in one of the studs. As a result these latches constitute steps between the tie-bolts that are arranged above and below the doors.

The silo is covered by a conical roof 26, that projects well over the side wall in the form of eaves 27. In this roof and in line with the doorways 19 is another doorway 28, above which is located a projection 29, that directs the water to either side of said doorway. This doorway is closed by a suitable door 30, hinged to one side of the doorway, and held closed by a hook or other suitable device 31. It is provided along its side edges with beads or flanges 32, that overlap the edges of the doorway and prevent the ingress of water.

The manner of filling the silo is very simple: The material is first passed through the lower doorway until it reaches the height of the same, whereupon said doorway is closed and locked and the material is then passed through the next one above. This operation is repeated until the receptacle is entirely filled, the last being passed through the doorway in the roof. The outward pressure caused by the material is transmitted through the inner sheathing to the outer wall sheathing, and because of this being in the form of practically a single strip of overlapping hooping the strain is transmitted equally to all parts of the same. The openings or doorways through the wall of course weaken this overlapping arrangement to a certain extent, but the margin of safety is preserved by the tie-bolts connecting the upright studs. The pressure furthermore seals the tapering doors tightly in their respective doorways, so that leakage through them is prohibited. At the same time, because of the tapering arrangement, the doors may be readily opened when the level of the material falls below them.

The advantages for the structure may be summed up as follows: The entire wall, with the exception of the intermediate layer, is preferably constructed of wood, so that the expense is comparatively small, while the strength is sufficient to withstand any inter" nal pressure that may be exerted against it.

Furthermore, this wall does not need to be loosened or tightened to provide for expansion and contraction, the inner and outer sheathings being rigidly secured together. The specific arrangement of the strengthening means about the doorways is also advantageous, as not only is the margin of safety preserved, but this means constitutes a ladder, which will permit the ascent and descent of the wall. The hoop-joints are not only inexpensive, but constitute strong means for fastening the sections together.

I am aware of the fact that it is old in the construction of various structures to use a lining of paper on the inside thereof with a thin voneering of wood nailed over the paper to protect the same; but I am not aware that it has ever been proposed to place paper on the outside of staves and wrap the hoop-body around the stave over the paper. In this way the paper is protected from deterioration and at the same time it is sufliciently exposed to the action of the sun to permit drying of the same and avoiding any tendency to decay. The covering of the paper with the hoops and securing the paper in place by the same means that fastens the hoops to the staves is one of the essential features of my invention. Furthermore, by providing the rounds or hoops with the end lock a continuous hoop is provided, and the ends of the sections of the hoops or rounds are made as strong as the other parts of the hoop. Without the end lock or joint the hoop would have a strong tendency to straighten and peel off. To counteract this, others have seen fit to make the outer sheathing in several layers or sections of hoops. This is not only expensive, but fails to have the same advantages as my construction, in which only a single layer of hooping is provided.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein-described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a structure of the class described, a wall consisting of an inner sheathing of Iongitudinally-disposed staves, an outer sheathing of hooping covering and secured to the inner sheathing, said hooping consisting of rounds the coacting ends of which are overlapped and interlocked to form a continuous band, and paper arranged between the outer and inner sheathings, said paper being located against the outer face of said inner sheathing.

2. In a structure of the class described, a wall consisting of an inner sheathing of lon- ICC gitudinally-disposed staves, an outer sheathing of hooping covering and secured to the inner sheathing, said hooping consisting of rounds the coacting ends of which are overlapped and interlocked to form a continuous band.

3. In a structure of the class described, a Wall consisting of an inner sheathing of longitudinally-disposed staves, an outer sheathing of hooping covering and secured to the inner sheathing, said outer sheathing consisting of overlapping rounds arranged edge to edge, the edge of one round overlapping the coacting edge of the next, the hooping being made up of sections having their ends interlocked to form a continuous band.

4. In a structure of the class described, a wall having a vertical series of spaced openings, said wall comprising an inner sheathing of upright staves and an outer sheathing of hooping, the portions of said hooping between the openings being in the form of continuous overlapping rounds comprising sections having their ends overlapped and interlocked, and means for closing the openings.

5. In a structure of the class described, a wall having a vertical series of spaced openings, said wall comprising an inner sheathing of upright staves and an outer sheathing of hooping extending transversely of the staves and between the openings, upright studs secured to the wall on the opposite sides of the openings, one of the studs having sockets in its inner edge, tie-rods connecting the studs, said tie-rods being located between the openings, doors for closing the openings, said doors being hinged to the walls, and latches pivoted to the doors and engaging in the sockets of the studs to hold said doors in closed positions, the rods and latches constituting steps or ladder-rungs for the purpose set forth, said latches being held against turning by their engagements in the sockets.

6. In a structure of the class described, a Wall consisting of an inner sheathing of upright staves, an outer sheathing of hooping consisting of overlapping rounds arranged edge to edge, the edge of one round also overlapping the coacting edge of the adjacent round, said hooping comprising sections, the ends of which are overlapped and locked together to form a continuous band, and fastening devices passing through the overlapping edges.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affi'xed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM ORAINE.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM TRIMBEY, E. L. CRANDALL. 

